Electronic component cooling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A radiator, a heat sink and a tank are disposed on circulating paths. The radiator includes a fan. The tank includes a pump for forcedly circulating fluid. A pump-fan drive unit is provided between the tank and the radiator. The fan and the pump are directly connected to a single motor so that they can be driven by the motor. The pump has a magnet rotor, and a rotor driver. The magnet rotor is accommodated in the tank so as to be rotatable. The rotor driver is fixedly provided in an end portion of an output shaft of the motor. The magnet rotor is magnetically driven to rotate by the rotor driver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electronic component coolingapparatus and particularly relates to an electronic component coolingapparatus preferably applied to a system for water-cooling an electroniccomponent of a computer or the like.

As a cooling apparatus using a water-cooling system used for a componentof an electronic apparatus such as a CPU of a personal computer, therehas been a cooling apparatus having a pressure pump provided in theinside or outside of a cooling fluid tank to compressively delivercooling fluid of the cooling fluid tank to a radiator. FIG. 4 is anoverall configuration view showing an example of this type electroniccomponent cooling apparatus 1.

In FIG. 4, a radiator 2 is provided with an air-cooling fan 3, and acooling fluid tank 4 is provided with a pressure pump 5. The coolingfluid tank 4 and the radiator 2 are connected to each other through afluid flow path 6. In addition, an electronic component heat sink 7 isprovided for cooling a CPU (electronic component) that is a heat source.The heat sink 7 and the radiator 2 are connected to each other through afluid flow path 8. The heat sink 7 and the cooling fluid tank 4 areconnected to each other through a fluid flow path 9.

In this configuration, cooling fluid C in the cooling fluid tank 4 issupplied to the heat sink 7 via the radiator 2 by the pressure pump 5and then sent back to the cooling fluid tank 4. In this manner, thecooling fluid C circulates so as to be supplied to the heat sink 7 againvia the same flow path as described above. In the electronic componentcooling apparatus 1, the air cooling fan 3 and the pressure pump 5 aredriven by separately provided drive motors respectively (e.g.JP-A-2004-304076).

Since the cooling apparatus 1 described above is formed so that themotor for driving the cooling fluid pressure pump 5 and the motor fordriving the air cooling fan 3 are provided individually and separately,there is a problem that efficiency of driving the pressure pump 5 andthe air cooling fan 3 is poor viewed from the whole of the electroniccomponent cooling apparatus. Moreover, since it is necessary to providetwo drive motors for the pump and for the fan, the place (space) forinstallation of the two drive motors becomes so large that increase incost is brought as well as reduction in size of the apparatus cannot beattained. In addition, noise generated from the drive motors becomeslarge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, there arises a technical problem to be solved in order toimprove efficiency of the motor's driving the pressure pump and theair-cooling fan and in order to suppress noise, and in order to attainreduction in size of the electronic component cooling apparatus. Anobject of the invention is to solve this problem.

In order to accomplish the above object, an electronic component coolingapparatus of the present invention is characterized by having thefollowing arrangement,

-   (1) An electronic component cooling apparatus disposed on a    circulating path through which fluid circulates, the electronic    component cooling apparatus comprising:    -   a heat sink disposed on the circulating path and adapted to        transfer heat generated from an electronic component to the        fluid;    -   a radiator disposed on the circulating path and provided with a        fan cooling the fluid in the radiator, and the radiator emitting        the heat;    -   a tank disposed on the circulating path and provided with a pump        circulating the fluid through the circulating path, and the tank        reserving the fluid; and    -   a single motor driving the fan and the pump.-   (2) An electronic component cooling apparatus according to (1),    wherein    -   the fan is directly connected to one end portion of an output        shaft of the motor, and    -   the pump is directly connected to the other end portion of the        output shaft of the motor.-   (3) An electronic component cooling apparatus according to (1),    wherein the pump comprises    -   a magnet rotor rotatably accommodated in the tank; and    -   a rotor driver provided at an end portion of an output shaft of        the motor so as to magnetically rotate the magnet rotor.-   (4) An electronic component cooling apparatus according to (1),    wherein the pump comprises a fan member rotatably accommodated in    the tank and directly connected to an end portion of an output shaft    of the motor.

According to the invention, the fan and the pump can be driven by thesingle motor. That is, the function of the fan for air-cooling theradiator and the function of the pump for forcedly circulating the fluidare performed by the operation of the single motor.

According to the invention, two motors heretofore required for drivingthe fan and the pump can be replaced by one motor. Therefore, becausethe space for installation of the motor can be reduced to half whiledrive transmission efficiency of the motive power of the motor can beimproved greatly compared with the related art, reduction in size of theunit for driving the fan and the pump can be achieved. In addition, notonly can the cost of one motor be eliminated but also noise generatedfrom the motor can be suppressed to half.

According to the invention, both the fan and the pump can be drivensimultaneously and directly by rotation of the output shaft. Hence, itis not necessary to provide any gear between the fan and the outputshaft and between the pump and the output shaft.

According to the invention, the fan and the pump are driven by theoutput shaft so directly that intermediate gears can be dispensed with.Accordingly, not only can smooth synchronous operation of the fan andthe pump be ensured but also the structure is so simple that the numberof parts can be reduced.

According to the invention, the magnet rotor in the tank is magneticallydriven to rotate by rotation of the rotor driver, so that the fluid inthe tank is compressively delivered to the radiator.

According to the invention, the magnet rotor of the pump is accommodatedin the tank and the magnet rotor has no rotary bearing member.Accordingly, further reduction in size of the apparatus can be achieved.Moreover, there is an excellent effect that a seal member for thebearing can be dispensed with no risk of fluid leakage. In addition,because the magnet rotor is free from shaft slide resistance at the timeof rotation, not only smoother rotation can be ensured but also noisegenerated at the time of rotation driving can be suppressed moreeffectively.

According to the invention, the fan member rotates together with theoutput shaft, so that the fluid in the tank is compressively deliveredto the radiator.

According to the invention, the fan member of the pump is accommodatedin the tank and the fan member is directly driven by the output shaft ofthe motor. Accordingly, not only can further reduction in size of theapparatus be achieved but also the apparatus is so simple in structureas to be easy to produce. In addition, the efficiency of transmission ofrotation drive power from the motor to the pump can be improved moregreatly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration view of an electronic componentcooling apparatus, showing an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view for explaining an example ofconfiguration of a pump-fan drive unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view for explaining another example ofconfiguration of the pump-fan drive unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an overall configuration view of a related electroniccomponent cooling apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention provides an electronic component cooling apparatuscomprising a pump, an air-cooling fan-including radiator, and a heatsink. The pump, the air-cooling fan-including radiator and the heat sinkare disposed on a circulating path. In the electronic component coolingapparatus, a source for driving the pump and a source for driving thefan of the radiator are made of a single motor to thereby achieve thepurposes of: improving the drive efficiency of the motor; reducing thesize of the drive device; and suppressing noise caused by the driving ofthe motor.

An embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference toFIGS. 1 to 3. In the embodiment, a forced water-cooling type CPU coolerapparatus comprises a radiator 25, a heat sink 12, and a tank 14. Theradiator 25 includes an fan 15. The tank 14 includes a pump 18 forforcedly circulating cooling fluid. The radiator 25, the heat sink 12and the tank 14 are connected to one another through circulation paths13 and 24 so that the cooling fluid can be recycled. In the CPU coolerapparatus, motive power of a motor 20 of the fan 15 is used so that thepump 18 can be also driven to rotate in simultaneity with the fan 15.Although the embodiment has been described on the case where the pump 18and the tank 14 are formed integrally in order to achieve furtherreduction in size of the apparatus, it is a matter of course that thepump 18 and the tank 14 may be formed separately.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration view of an electronic componentcooling apparatus 11 according to the embodiment. The electroniccomponent cooling apparatus 11 is provided with a CPU water-cooling headthat serves as a heat sink 12 made of metal. The heat sink 12 is held incontact with a CPU as a heat-generating source, so that heat generatedfrom the CPU is transferred to fluid (cooling water or glycol antifreezefluid) C and released. A tank 14 is connected to an inlet of the heatsink 12 through a path 13. The cooling fluid C is reserved in the tank14.

As shown in FIG. 2, an inlet 16 and an outlet 17 are formed in one sidewall and the other side wall of the tank 14, respectively. The coolingfluid tank 14 further includes a pump 18 for forcedly circulating thefluid C to the heat sink 12. The pressure pump 18 includes a disc typemagnet rotor 19, and a disc type rotor driver 22. The rotor driver 22 isfixedly provided in one end portion of an output shaft 21 of a motor 20.The magnet rotor 19 is accommodated in the tank 14 so as to berotatable.

A plurality of fans 23 are formed integrally on the surface of themagnet rotor 19. Each of the fans 23 protrudes outwardly to the inlet16. Further, the magnet rotor 19 and the rotor driver 22 are disposedconcentrically and adjacently, and face to each other through a wallsurface of the tank 14. Each of circumferential edge portions of facingsurfaces of the magnet rotor 19 and the rotor driver 22 is magnetizedwith N poles and S poles, which are arranged alternately incircumferential direction thereof.

Accordingly, the magnet rotor 19 is magnetically driven to rotate byrotation of the rotor driver 22. At the same time that the fluid C flowsinto the tank 14 through the inlet 16, the fluid C flows out of theoutlet 17. The outflowing fluid C is supplied to the heat sink 12through the path 13.

The outlet of the heat sink 12 is connected to an inlet 26 of theradiator 25 through the path 24. Thus, after the CPU is cooled by thefluid C, the fluid C is supplied to the radiator 25 through the path 24.The radiator 25 removes the fluid C from the heat and emits the heatinto the air.

A pump-fan drive unit 27 is arranged between the radiator 25 and thetank 14. The pump-fan drive unit 27 has the motor 20, the fan 15, andthe rotor driver 22. The fan 15 is disposed adjacently to one side (leftside in FIG. 2) of the motor 20. The rotor driver 22 is disposedadjacently to the other side (right side in FIG. 2) of the motor 20.

As described above, the rotor driver 22 is fixedly provided and directlyconnected to one end portion of the output shaft 21 of the motor 20,while the fan 15 is fixedly provided and directly connected to the otherend portion of the output shaft 21.

In the electronic component cooling apparatus 11 configured as describedabove, When the output shaft 21 of the motor 20 is rotated, both the fan15 and the rotor driver 22 are driven to rotate synchronously. Theradiator 25 is air-cooled in accordance with the rotation of the fan 15,so that the heat is taken from the fluid C and emitted into the air.

In addition, the magnet rotor 19 of the pump 18 rotates magnetically andintegrally in accordance with the rotation of the rotor driver 22. Bythe water jet function of the fans 23 rotating together with the magnetrotor 19, the fluid C on the radiator 25 flows into the tank 14 throughthe inlet 16. At the same time, the fluid C flows out of the outlet 17of the tank 14. The outflowing fluid C is forcedly supplied to the heatsink 12 through the path 13.

Thus, the heat sink 12 transfers the heat generated in the CPU to thefluid C to thereby cool the CPU. After cooling, the fluid C is sent backto the tank 14 through the path 24 and the radiator 25. Then, coolingfluid C is forcedly circulated to the heat sink 12 by the pump 18 in thesame manner as described above.

In this embodiment, the magnet rotor 19 of the pump 18 rotatesmagnetically without any bearing. Accordingly, there is no bearing slideresistance generated at the time of rotation of the rotor. There is norisk of fluid leakage, so that no seal member is required.

The fan 15 and the pump 18 are directly operated by the single motor 20.Accordingly, the fan 15 and the pump 18 can be driven by the singlemotor 20, so that air-cooling of the radiator 25 and forced circulationof the fluid C can be performed simultaneously.

Accordingly, while drive transmission efficiency of motive power of themotor is improved, the space for installation of the pump-fan drive unit27 is reduced so that the size of the apparatus can be reducedaccordingly. Further, because two motors required can be replaced by onemotor, noise generated from the motor 20 is reduced. In addition,because it is not necessary to provide any gear between the fan 15 andthe output shaft 21 and between the pump 18 and the output shaft 21, theapparatus is so simple in structure that number of parts can be reduced.

The pump according to this embodiment is not limited to a magnetrotation drive type pump. Another type pump can be used instead. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 3, there can be used a pump 28 which includesa fan member 29 rotatably accommodated in the tank 14 and having a shaftportion directly connected to one end portion of the output shaft 21 ofthe motor 20.

Even in this configuration, efficiency of driving the pressure pump 28and the fan 15 is improved, so that reduction in size of the electroniccomponent cooling apparatus can be achieved. Further, not only is theapparatus simple in structure but also silent running characteristic ofthe motor driving is improved. Incidentally, in this embodiment, a sealmember 30 is mounted on the place where the output shaft 21 passesthrough the tank.

It is a matter of course that various modifications can be made on theinvention without departing from the spirit of the invention, and thatthe invention is extended to those modifications.

1. An electronic component cooling apparatus disposed on a circulatingpath through which fluid circulates, the electronic component coolingapparatus comprising: a heat sink disposed on the circulating path andadapted to transfer heat generated from an electronic component to thefluid; a radiator disposed on the circulating path and provided with afan cooling the fluid in the radiator, and the radiator emitting theheat; a tank disposed on the circulating path and provided with a pumpcirculating the fluid through the circulating path, and the tankreserving the fluid; and a single motor driving the fan and the pump. 2.An electronic component cooling apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe fan is directly connected to one end portion of an output shaft ofthe motor, and the pump is directly connected to the other end portionof the output shaft of the motor.
 3. An electronic component coolingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pump comprises a magnetrotor rotatably accommodated in the tank; and a rotor driver provided atan end portion of an output shaft of the motor so as to magneticallyrotate the magnet rotor.
 4. An electronic component cooling apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the pump comprises a fan member rotatablyaccommodated in the tank and directly connected to an end portion of anoutput shaft of the motor.